Greece Pioneers Newborn Screening for 33 Rare Diseases

Greece is a pioneer in newborn screening, as the National Program has been testing for 33 rare diseases, mainly metabolic, since July 2024. This was stated by Professor of Pediatrics, Konstantinos Stratakis.

According to Mr. Stratakis, Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Athens and Director of Human Genetics and Precision Medicine at the Foundation for Technology and Research (ITE) in Heraklion, newborns are screened for diseases with a frequency of less than 1 in 40,000.

Mr. Stratakis emphasized that early detection of these diseases is vital, as many of them can lead to death if not treated promptly. "We examine them because there is treatment. And that's how lives are saved. For example, hypothyroidism," he noted.

In comparison, Germany screens for fewer than 19 diseases, making Greece a pioneer in this field.